Mass Death of Olive Ridley Turtles Sparks Urgent Call for Action in Tamil Nadu

Over 1,000 endangered Olive Ridley turtles have washed up dead on Tamil Nadu's coast since January 2025, prompting conservationists to demand immediate action. Experts attribute the deaths primarily to illegal trawling within the five-nautical-mile coastal zone during the breeding season. The Tamil Nadu government has announced plans to establish an Integrated Biodiversity Conservation Center at Point Calimere to spearhead turtle conservation efforts. Meanwhile, a recent night patrol rescued 16 live turtles entangled in a single trawl net, providing concrete evidence of the devastating impact of bottom trawling on these protected species.

 

Sources: India Mongabay, The New Indian Express, Deccan Herald